Google has not updated Reader for a long time. It has the
same simplistic interface that was probably there at the beginning.
Nonetheless, it was quite a useful tool.

And, surprisingly, there are no good Google Reader
alternatives yet – alternatives that are simple, fast and can deliver a volume
of information quickly. The new readers - Taptu, Pulse, Flipboard etc – are
more focused on displaying photos, media (making the feed look pretty) rather
than actual information delivery.

And, if you are thinking Twitter, Twitter is not a Google
Reader alternative it serves a different function.

A new reader needs to also focus on performance – enabling a
user to absorb lots of new information quickly.